Warranty problems

[robertjrt]

In November 2005 my W220, S500L, 2001, all the toys, was recovered to Mercedes-Benz Chelsea's Wandsworth workshop where, somebody, "fried" the electrics which resulted in a bill for £6,800. As the car was covered by the 12 month "fully comprehensive" Warranty I declined to pay.

Well, here we are, May 2009 and my car remains at Wandsworth.

Despite a Judge at Bromley County Court awarding me Judgment and £10,750 damages, Mercedes-Benz continue to refuse any responsibility for the legal action and Duty of Care to me.

Mercedes-Benz require that I come along and drive my car away without any inspection or an MOT despite the fact that my car has been stood for all these years. In Court an employee informed the Judge that if my car was left for two days without use, the computers required re-booting.

There is also the matter of the body damage whilst it was parked there and somehow the spare wheel change size, make and alloy patten.

According to Mercedes-Benz paperwork there were four new tyres fitted before I collected it, these now have 1.5 and 2mm tread after 1500 miles and have changed manufacturer.

The legal costs for me are about £40,000 and I can only expect £28,000
from Mercedes-Benz.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

[vijilants]

£40,000 legal costs ??????.....A really nasty divorce costs less than that !!!

If they have had the car for four years and you have had to go through all of this, I'd be taking this story to the press and also Watchdog.

Outrageous that they have also nicked your wheel and tyres to add insult to injury.

 

[Will]

Sounds like an incredible amount of hassle for a car, how much did the car cost and what would it be worth today?

What have you been driving for the last three/four years?

On the face of it, this all sounds ridiculous - why/how did it ever get this out of hand?

Were MB UK involved? How come it's taken so long?

Will

 

[davidjpowell]

It sounds like bad news, but I am a bit confused. You say that the award was £10,750 and MB owe you £28,000 - presumably the balance being legal costs and interests so how on earch has it got to £40k. Sounds like your lawyer has some answers to give?

If you have not involved MB UK you should do, although given the amounts at issue I would hope that they are aware.

I would suggest that I would at least want an indpendent engineers inspection after all these faults.

If they have swapped your wheels is that not outright theft?

 

[recycled]

I think its time for the bailiffs

 

[recycled]

It sounds like bad news, but I am a bit confused. You say that the award was £10,750 and MB owe you £28,000 - presumably the balance being legal costs and interests so how on earch has it got to £40k. Sounds like your lawyer has some answers to give?

28K+10K perhaps

 

[jaymanek]

more info needed.. above just doesnt add up..

What was it in for? Why do computers need rebooting every 2 days? makes no sense.

 

[robertjrt]

Mercedes-Benz warranty

Thank you for your comments.

I will answer each one at a time.

All what I write is the truth, when I discus the role of the General Manager I may refer to him as a lier, which is fair as he lied in the Witness Box, under Oath.

My total costs have been around £40,000, so, if you subtract £10,750 damages and the probable Costs from Mercedes-Benz of £28,000 I am about £1250 , but, I been without my car since November 2005 and have suffer depreciation, although MB inform me that my car as not devalued as it has not been driven.

As far as trying to publish my story, Auto Express and Company car did a short article. All others were uninterested.

I paid £29,000 for the car in January 2005 and drove it 1500 miles before this saga started. This was one reason that I was awarded so little for loss of use. I was offered a Loan car, but, I live in Covent Garden and if the car is not registered/insured in my name there is no discount for the Congestion Charge nor a parking permit, 40p per 5 Minuit's without it, so, I have been driving my nephews car, Toyota Corolla, S reg, starts every time, when it is available otherwise Public Transport.

Early November 2005 I went to use my car, dead as a doornail, so, I called MB and a "technician" came out, jump started the car and told me " you left you mobile in the cradle and it has drained your battery".

What a load of old B******s I thought, so, when the next time I went to use the car, again, Dead, I 'phoned again and out came two "technicians" who jump started the car which I then drove to Mercedes-Benz Chelsea's workshop in Wandsworth, I left it there.

Weeks later I was told it was "ready", so, I collected it and drove back to Holborn.

The next time I went to use the car Ditto , but, this time I informed MB to come and collect it.

The next year I was told my car was ready for collection and asked how I was going to settle the £6,800 bill. My "this is a Warranty" repair was answered with " it does not cover customer damage" and did I wish to have the damage to my car repaired as per the quote sent, £600? Err, what damage? The damage that was on the car when it came in was the reply.

That was the start and it has not ended yet.

Yes, Mercedes-Benz UK, Mr Dermot Kelly and Mr Neil Williamson are fully aware of this matter and keep referring me to MB's legal department.

It would seem that the original electrical fault has yet to be repaired which is why the car is still there.

Mercedes-Benz keep sending me letters telling me that they reserve the right to charge me £25 per day "storage" (£31,937), another load of old b*****s.


I may be old and look stupid by there is no excuse for the heartache MB have caused me, let alone the financial cost.

 

[ackee911]

Wow. 4 years..........

 

[jaymanek]

What was the £6800 for? So you say the damage was caused by the technicians?
There must have been something that caused the battery to drain?

If they didnt quote you this amount then you would have had a case immediately and most managers I know would rather take the loss than have something drag out like this.

I simply cannot believe the amount of time it has taken.

 

[wxmclk]

If as you say you have a County Court judgement awarded in your favour I would already have turned up, mob handed with a private bailiff and began to "distrain" goods to the value of the court order- perfectly legal I assure you.
Any interference by MB personel would be illegal and you and your bailiff would be within your rights to notify the police of any obstructions or other sillyness etc.
Timing is everything in saga's such as these though.
Make sure you notify the local paper before you attend, perhaps give BBC Watchdog a tinkle too.When you have done this make sure you then pick that showrooms busiest day when it's full of nice well healed potential new customers to embarass.

I suspect the £ would be forthcoming very quickly Sir....

 

[recycled]

Thank you for your comments.


The next year I was told my car was ready for collection and asked how I was going to settle the £6,800 bill. My "this is a Warranty" repair was answered with " it does not cover customer damage" and did I wish to have the damage to my car repaired as per the quote sent, £600? Err, what damage? The damage that was on the car when it came in was the reply.

I do not understand this part. Is it quote= £600 and then repair is £6800?

 

[jaymanek]

£6800 for repairs, £600 for body damage i assume.

 

[robertjrt]

Warranty repair

Yes, £6,800 for the electrical damage repair and £600 for the bodywork.

Err, Mercedes-Benz did not inform me that work was being carried out on my car at my cost.

The bodywork repair was a separate item. What was a scratch under the front valance grew into something else entirely.

Mercedes-Benz informed me that the recovery people were "not their servants nor agent", contrary to Common Law.

I booked an MOT last December at MB Wandsworth but, it was declined and as MB are not a testing center there is nothing I can do about it.

 

[recycled]

I do not see what the problem is here.
You have a CCJ against them. Will you not start removing goods and equipment worth your money, or is there a legal case still going on? Is there a counter claim?

 

[rf065]

I would present your case to the bailliffs & see what they advise.

Russ

 

[robertjrt]

Warranty repair

I do not have a CCJ, I had a trial at Bromley Crown Court where I was awarded £10,750 damages and my Costs, but, it would seem that my expectation of having all my money back was premature.

I am having to settle for a lot less, it has been six months since the trial and, frankly, I need the money.

What will happen next is I shall continue to take Mercedes-Benz to Court until my car is fully repaired and Mercedes-Benz discharge its "Duty of Car" to me as a customer.

 

[recycled]

If a court awards you that amount, and mercedes do not pay, then is that not a job for the bailiffs to start to enforce it?
Why are you settling for less?

If i owe mercedes some money, i am sure they would have bailiffs at my door.
Sorry if i sound nosy but i do not understand what the full problem really is. surely mercedes have some sort of liability insurance to cover them for these things.
I mean did companies not pay out millions under the firestone tyre debacle

 

[A210AMG]

Sorry to hear you luck hear but given the time and money it all sound a little odd?

Difficult as you know whats going on and we only get one side.

Either way I hope you get something sorted to your satisfaction.

 

[jeremytaylor]

I too can't understand why the bailiffs haven't been sent in. Just doesn't add up to me.